Violin-piano.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

V J. L. WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1906.

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No. 870,702. I PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907. J. L. WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1908.

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JAMES L. WARNER, OF GIRARD, KANSAS.

VIOLIN-PIANO Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed July 24. 1906- Serial No. 327,575-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs L. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Girard, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Violin-Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments, of that class known as violin-pianos, wherein the strings are set into vibration by movable bows or vibrators under the control of a key-board.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of this type in which a separate vibrator is used for eachv of the strings, and to employ means for insuring the firm engagement of the vibrator with its string or strings without thenecessity of any nice adjustments, such as would ordinarily be required when the angle of the strings varies.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of revoluble vibrator or bow.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class with flexible bow carrying and operating shafts which will yield to accommodate varying positions of the strings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of shaft mounting and support, and to provide an improved means for moving the vibrator and damper toward and from the strings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of adjustable resin applying means.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinalter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the ac- I companying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawingss-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of sufiicient of a violin-piano to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the same drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the pivot shaft supporting blocks. Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing one of the guides for the lower end of the shaft. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the preferred form of vibrator. Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the vibrators and its carrying arm, the upper portion of the latter being bent in order that the axis of the vibrator may be parallel with the string. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a slightly modified construction of vibrator.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The working parts of the apparatus are supported by threeLtransverselyLdisposed rails 10, 11 and 12 which are arranged immediately infront of the strings a. To thegcenter rail ll isjecured flange 15, there being preferably a separate flange for each section of the action, and each of the flanges is provided with a pair of spaced cars 16, forming supports for a horizontally disposed pin 17 on which is pivoted a block 18. The block is provided with a vertically disposed bearing opening located to the rear of the pivot pin, and serving for the reception of the intermediate portion of a vibrator actuating shaft 19, and extending around the front end of the block is a shaft supporting bar 20, said bar carrying upper and lower bearings 21 and 22, through which the shaft extends. The upper and lower bearings 21 and 22 are held in place by straps 23 and binding screws 24.

The upper end of the bar 20 is provided with a metallic loop 25 which surrounds the vibrator and forms a bearing for the upper and lower ends of the vibrator shaft 26. The upper portion of the bar 20, as well as the loop are turned to an angle corresponding to that of the string against which the vibrator is to be moved. In many cases the bass strings are arranged at an angle to the treble strings, and it therefore becomes advisable to slightly bend the upper end of the bar 20 in the manner shown in Fig. 6 for the purpose of maintaining the axis of the vibrator and the string in parallel relation. Between the sections 19 and 26 of the shaft is a flexible section 27 preferably formed of a flat helically wound strip which will permit considerable variation in the angular positions of the sections of the shaft with relation to each other, this being essential in some cases in order that the vibrator 28 carried by the upper section 26 of the shaft may firmly engage with the strings.

Secured to the lower end of the bar 20 is a. flat spring 30 which serves as a support for a bearing bracket 31, approximately U-shaped in form and provided with bearing openings for the reception of the lower section 32 of the shaft, and the intermediate section 19 and the lower section 32 of said shaft are connected by a flexible member 33 which is, also, formed of a helically wound strip. The lower section 32 of the shaft carries a roller 34 which may be moved into engagement with a constantly moving belt 35, which generally is connected by suitable mechanism to a pedal actuating device, although any form of motor mechanism may be employed.

The lower end of the shaft section 32 passes through and is free to turn in an opening formed in a roller 37, and said roller is guided between the spaced arms of a U-shaped bracket or flange 38 that is secured to the rear face of the rail 12, the roller being free to move toward and from the strings and being held from lateral play.

The bar 20 is formed of a flat strip of metal, and its lower portion is twisted at an angle of ninety degrees,

and is bent rearward to form an arm 20. To this arm is secured the lower end of an angular rocking frame 40, and the upper arm of which is bent downward and passes through an opening formed in the pivot block 18, and is secured in place by nuts 41. The front por tion of this frame is provided with a spring arm 42 which is connected to the upper end of a bar 43, corresponding to the abstract or sticker of a piano action and arranged to receive motion from the keys.

The lower portion of the frame 40 carries an angularly bent arm 45 at the end of which is mounted a small roller 46 that is arranged to bear against the spring arm 30 during the movement of the damper toward the string. During movement of the parts in the reverse direction, the rocking frame 40 may be raised to such an extent as to allow the roller to move from'engagement with the spring arm 30, so that the latter may forcibly hold the roller 34 in engagement with the belt 35.

Riveted or otherwise secured to the lower portion of the bar 20 is an arm 49 carrying a damper 50 which is arranged to move against the strings when the vibrator leaves the strings, the shaft, the frame and all of the parts rocking with the pivot pin 17 as a center, so that the vibrator may be moved against the strings, and the damper moved out of contact therewith, or vice-versa.

Pivoted to the rail 10 is a two armed lever 52, the lower arm of the lever serving as a pivotal support for a block 53 which carries a small block 54, formed of resin. The upper arm of the lever is arranged immediately to the rear of the enlarged end of'an adjusting screw 55 which passes through a threaded opening formed in the rail. By turning the screw the contact between the block of resin and the revoluble vibrator may be adjusted. I

The vibrator 28 is generally frusto-conical in form and is provided with a large number of flexible annular Webs 56, the webs being preferably on planes slightly oblique to a line drawn at a right angle to the axis of the vibrator. In constructing the vibrator, it is preferred to employ a block of celluloid or similar material, the

block being placed in a turning lathe, and so cut as to form the webs 56, while leaving a solid center for attachment to the shaft. These webs are found to make good contact with the strings, and will carry sufiicient resin to set the strings into vibration without the necessity of employing an additional covering of frictional material, such as is ordinarily used in the bows of instruments of this general type.

The construction of the device is such that the vibrator may be pressed against the strings without regard to slight variations in the positions of the strings, so that the labor and expense of exact adjustment of each member of the action is unnecessary.

In some cases the vibrator may be formed of a series of cup shaped disks 58 spaced from each other at the flexibly connected sections, a pivotal support for the shaft, a frame connected to the support for rocking said shaft, and means for moving said frame. 1

3. In a violin-piano, a revoluble vibrator, a vibrator shaft formed of a number of flexibly connected sections, a pivoted block forming a bearing for one of the shaft sections, a frame connected to said block for rocking the shaft, and a damper carried by the frame.

4. In a violin-piano, a revoluble vibrator, a vibrator shaft formed of a number of flexibly connected sections, a pivotally mounted bar having bearings for two of the shaft sections, and means for rocking the shaft and bar.

5. In a violin-piano, an upright shaft including an intermediate section and end sections having flexible connections between them, a pivotal support for the intermediate section, a revoluble vibrator secured to the uper shaft section, a roller secured to the lower shaft section a continuously operable roller driving belt, and means for rocking the support and shaft to move the roller toward and-from the belt and the vibrator toward and from the strings.

G. In a violin-piano, a revoluble vibrator shaft including a central and end sections flexibly connected to each other, a pivotal support for the central section, a revoluble vibrator carried by one of the end sections, a driving roller carried by the other end section, a continuously operable belt with which said roller may be engaged, a shaft rocking frame, and means for actuating said frame.

7. In a violin-piano, an upright revoluble vibrator shaft including a central and end sections having flexible conections, a pivotal support for the center section, a vibrator carried by one of the end sections, a driving roller carried by the other end section, a roller driving means, a shaft supporting bar having bearings for the reception of the center and upper sections of the shaft, a bearing bracket for the lower section of the shaft, a spring connecting the bar and bracket, and means for rocking the support and shaft.

8. In a violin-piano, an upright shaft formed of a. number of flexibly connected sections, a pivoted block forming a bearing for one of the sections, a vibrator carried by one of the end sections of the shaft, a driving roller carried by the other end section, a constantly operated belt with which the roller may engage, a supporting bar carried by the pivot block and having been ings for the intermediate and upper sections of the shaft, a bracket forming bearings for the lower roller supporting section of the shaft, a spring connecting the bar and bracket, a rocking frame having one end connected to the block and the other end to the bar, and means for rocking said frame.

9. In a violin-piano, an upright shaft including a central section and end sections having flexible connections, a revoluble vibrator carried by the upper section, a driving roller carried by the lower section of the shaft, a dr iving belt with which said roller may be engaged, a flange, a pivoted block carried thereby and forming a bearing for the central section of the shaft, a bar carried by the block and provided with bearings for the central and upper shaft sections, a bracket having bearings for the lower shaft section, a spring connecting the bar and bracket, a rocker frame having its lower end secured to the bar and its upper end to the pivoted block, an arm extending from the frame, a roller supported by said arm and engaging the bracket supporting spring, and means for operating said frame.

.10. In a violin-piano, an upright shaft including a center and end sections having flexible connections, a revoluble vibrator carried by the upper shaft section,- a driving roller carried by the lower section of the shaft, means for operating the roller, a flange, a pivoted block carried thereby and forming a bearing for the central section of the shaft, a bar carried by said block and provided with bearings for the central and upper shaft sections,- a bracket for the reception of the lower shaft section, a spring strip connecting the bar and bracket, the lower end of said bar having a forwardly bent arm, a rocker frame having one end connected to said arm and the other end to the pivoted block, an arm projecting from the rocker frame, a roller carried thereby and engaging the spring strip, and a damper carried by said bar.

11. In an instrument of the class described, a revoluble vibrator of frusto-conical form, comprising a series of dished disks, and intermediate spacing disks, of less diameter than the dished disks, said spacing disks serving to hold the dished disks in spaced relation in order to permit free peripheral yielding movement.

12. In a violinpiano, a pivotally mounted bar, a loop arranged at one end of the bar, a shaft having flexible sections, said shaft having bearings in the loop, means for rotating the shaft, and a vibrator mounted on one of the shaft sections. I 4

13. In an instrument of the class described, strings, revoluble vibrators, vibrator carrying shafts arranged in parallel relation with the strings, shaft supports, and key actuated carrying members for said shaft supports, said key actuated carrying members being disposed in vertical planes at an angle to the length of the strings.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. WARNER.

Witnesses GEORGE E. COLE, WALTER K. Power. 

